The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Iconxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirable colors and good form and substance.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor in September, 1995, in Salinas, Calif., of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Pilar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,331, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as 0384, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent.
The cultivar Icon was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., in November, 1996. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence color and good form and substance.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since February, 1997, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Icon have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Iconxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Iconxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright cut Chrysanthemum that is usually grown as a natural spray.
2. Very freely flowering habit, about 12 inflorescences per flowering stem.
3. Anemone-type inflorescences that are about 5.1 cm in diameter.
4. Attractive lavender purple-colored quilled ray florets and yellow green-colored disc florets.
5. Response time about 58 days.
6. Dark green foliage.
7. Strong stems
8. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about two weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are most similar to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Pilar. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in La Ceja, Antioquia, Colombia, South America, plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences, shorter disc florets and more yellow green disc florets than plants of the cultivar Pilar.
Compared to plants of the male parent, the seedling selection identified as code number 0384, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences and shorter disc florets. In addition, plants of the male parent and the new Chrysanthemum differ in inflorescence form as plants of the male parent have daisy-type inflorescences.